New Year New You

Can you believe a year has nearly been and gone already? me neither! with new years at our finger tips we look back over 2015 and the memories it holds and look forward to what 2016 has in store for us all.

for most of us 2016 will start with a detox and a diet, the christmas period is one where we over indulge and the winter nights are still long and arduous, which makes exercising that much more harder when you want to snuggle up to a good film on the sofa. So if you make any resolution which involves losing weight and exercising this forth coming year than make sure it is one which id doable so you don’t join the hundreds that fall out of love with the gym come the following month.

Faddy diets are at large this time of the year and its easy to get sucked into the idea of instant weight loss, but many of them will not give you the energy you need to sustain a good gym session. Real change comes with understanding exercise and nutrition, so a good personal trainer should help give you the guidance and the confidence to make the right decisions inside and outside the gym.

I have not decided on my new years resolution as yet, but if you have any really cool ones i would love to hear from you… May help me find inspiration before the year is up.

If you have any queries about starting exercise or an eating plan in 2016 please feel free to contact Nathan@fashionfitnessspecialists.com .

Id like to wish you all a happy new year and may 2016 be a happy and healthy one…

Hannah x

Fashion Fitness Specialists

Perspective… Well it changes, shifts, grows and occasionally warps and there are any number of reasons why. Deep i know! However i have a point to this opening line. I spent this weekend in a quiet town by the sea celebrating the anniversary of a man who has been the inspiration behind much of my career and my business Fashion Fitness Specialists. I was saying hello as i do every year down on the beach where my father lays to rest, full of the memories we all shared together as a family growing up.

By no means am i looking for sympathy, as i have learnt a great deal from a man who has helped shape the person i am now. But for certain it puts into perspective the importance of love, health and well-being. And if any of those are missing in your life than there is certainly no time like the present to make that change.

Change itself is not always like a light switch hoping that in a moment of realisation one day you will wake up and you will do everything differently, for a lucky few maybe. However realising there is help available certainly from professionals can implement more success. This alone is the ethos behind why 2 years ago with my brother we started Fashion Fitness Specialists our motto being to Educate, Shape and Transform. Working on shaping our client on the inside through personal training and nutrition, the outside through fashion and beauty. But the key is educating our clients through the whole process to make the right choices when the journey with us is over.

Thanks for reading.

Hannah x

Hannah@fashionfitnessspecialists.com

Fix up, Look Sharp… The sun is coming!

It’s that time of year where even though the weather in England is unusually hot this year we still need to go abroad. Holidays break up, what can become the routine of day-to-day life, the reward of having something to look forward to at the end of a long winter and busy demanding schedule.

But we all have that holiday panic as the days draw closer to take off, we look down at ourselves and think ‘Crap’ i need to tone up before i get on the beach, or strip down to my shorts because it’s just to hot to wear anything else. The problem is… It really can be too hot to hide your body away, at-least women can usually hide under a pretty maxi dress, but for men there is no hiding. So the solution as mundane as it may seem, is to invest a little time in yourself before you leave and hire someone who can help you shift the extra pounds safely and efficiently like a personal trainer. If you plan about 6 weeks ahead and put in the hard work with your exercise and healthy eating, there really is no reason you can not look the how you have always wanted to in those holiday photos.

The Second holiday panic is what do you pack? Going some where hot? well the obvious colour to avoid if possible is Black, it attracts the sun and that is not what you need, Plus its summer! so summer colours… This year the key colours for men are cool and connected to nature with harmonious greens. The colour chart is from PANTONE, who are the world-renowned authority on color and provider of color systems. This guide will help you in picking out shades colours on trend this year (warning they may not all suit you, consider your complexion, eye and hair colour first.)

5 key things to pack…

1. Summer Hat: You can throw it on with a casual or smart casual outfit and you will still look really trendy.

2. Shorts: Find some shorts that make you feel like your on holiday, nautical themed pieces will always work next to the seaside.

3. Swim shorts: Dont be afraid to explore with a little bit of pattern.

4. Lightweight Linen Jacket: Go for a classic colour so you can throw it on, and look smart for your evenings and nights out.

5. Loafer: Go for a light weight loafer or boat shoe if not, the handy flip flop will do.

For more information you can down find me at http://www.fashionfitnessspecialists.com/fashion-/

You can also download a free menswear lookbook when you sign upto our mailing list.

Hannah x

5 Tips to Help you Run Better

I have never really like running much and yet it has imbedded itself in my lifestyle regardless, i see it through different eyes now unlike the cross-country day at school that felt like a punishment. Running became a channel in which i could relieve stress, find some sense of freedom as well as satisfaction in knowing i was keeping fit. But never has it been a race, goal or achievement it was just something i did. So why not? i asked myself!

This week-end i face my first 10k, it is a great stepping stone for a half marathon and marks the end of 8 weeks of training alongside my brother,business partner and personal trainer. It certainly has been a commitment but all in all i feel i have fared reasonably well, i guess this sunday will tell.

For anyone who runs regularly or is in training here are a few tips that have helped me.

1. Make sure you have the right footwear and sportswear! this is vitally important because the wrong shoes will cause injury (i learnt this the hard way when i had shin splints through running in converses 2 years ago. SILLY I KNOW.) I also have a habit of running in jogging bottoms, windy/rainy days just made running hard work so i got myself some NIKE leggings so much better.
2. Change your route. Running the same route all the time can become boring and too predictable, when you’ve mastered a certain run switch it up! and make it a little more challenging.
3. Incorporate hill stints. It is important not to always be running flat, throwing in a hill every now and then breaks up the run and helps strengthen your legs. I always think to myself, if i can do 10k under an hour mostly uphill imagine what i can do when i run completely flat!
4. Bring a friend. It’s nice to have a friend to run with every now and then. Theres added commitment and it can help keep you motivated, especially when your running almost every day.
5. Dont let the weather stop you. It is very easy to use the weather as an excuse when you live in England. But if every time it rained or was too cold or windy you gave in, then running would be a rarity. It’s as much about metal stamina as it is about physical.

I hope you find these tips helpful, feel free to add and share anything that can help.

Hannah x

Challenge Accepted

This year has been all about setting myself new challenges, pushing myself out of my comfort zone physically and mentally. i like to practice what i preach so the past few months i have been training hard for the two events i have coming up this month. The business i jointly run alongside my business partner encompasses healthy living, nutrition, exercise, beauty & fashion. It means that our clients have to push themselves to exercise regularly, set goals and achieve them and step outside the comfort zone to acknowledge style and trends to find a look which suits their new and improved figure. So in turn, the founders of http://www.fashionfitnessspecialists.com/ like to do the same.

This Month i have mixed fun with exercise, (which is always important) and will be taking part in the colour run this weekend. If you are wondering what this is then to make it simple…It is a 5k run in london where you get pounded with different coloured paint every 1k which you pass. It may not sound like fun to everyone, but i am quite looking forward to looking like a multi coloured mess at the finish line.

The second challenge is the women’s NIKE 10K, although to most 10k doesn’t sound like far and compared to a marathon it really isn’t, but for me it’s not about the distance it’s about running and achieving the best time i can. I am training everyday between 3-7 miles each time with one rest day. Luckily the weather is pleasant most days so its nice to be outside and occasionally i can rope someone in to join me. However i have faced some obstacles the past couple of months, which i am sure some of you can relate to like tiredness. Part of being a stylist means you are on your feet constantly, rarely do you have time to sit down so when i get home the prospect of a 4 mile run is at times difficult to comprehend. However you always feel better for having achieved your goal for the day. I am at the stage now where i want to lean out a little for the race so as to make myself lighter and quicker on my feet. So i am focusing on my diet the next couple of weeks for the race, incorporating lots of chicken, avocado nuts and high protein foods.

What challenges do you have lined up this year? i am thinking a hike next like the 3 peak challenge starting with mount Snowden. i shall keep you all posted…

Time for a Change?

Reflecting back on last week it really has been a whirl wind within fitness, my emotions were riding high watching the London marathon on Sunday. It really is inspirational to see so many shapes and sizes, young and old running the length of london supporting some great charities, not forgetting the funky costumes which are always a highlight to the day.

It can not go unnoticed however the storm which has been brewing over the very controversal advert which features a model in a yellow bikini promoting Protein World with the slogan “Are you beach body ready”. Women and men in their thousands are speaking loud and clear in objection and have taken to some extreme measures to getting their point across with the advert being ripped down on many central lines. unfortunately when it comes to marketing “No press is bad press” regardless of the impact it has on the public. However i think it is highlighting an important shift in people’s mindset not to be so tolerant of what we are subjected to having to see, and be made to feel. Because recently this year a similar ad was released of a man exiting the tube naked and yet it did not seem to have the same backlash. It shows that something is changing or shifting, which is a positive step forward especially as the fitness industry is flooded with these adverts. The perfect body is different to each and every one of us despite the stereotype, what is most important is sustaining a healthy lifestyle in a realistic way.

Back to Basics

The age in which we live means we have information at our fingertips, so much so that its overwhelming at times. There is so much choice, variations, opinions, facts and fiction that finding the answer amongst the jungle of options available is hard. Everyone seems to have the solution when it comes to solving a problem, like what is healthy to eat? How do I lose weight? Latest fads & trends?

So I say “Go Back to Basics”…

For those of you who have been blessed to have witnessed the great British weather the past week or so, and by great I really do mean great. Than you will have probably caught the summer vibe for a brief moment. And with summer feeling like its is on the door step, I personally would like to tone up some more before I have to start baring a little skin in the hot days to come. So around this time of year I start upping my cardio, as the evenings are pleasant to hit the parks running and stripping back my diet so as not to let my hard work go to waste. Essentially I am going back to basics. The fruit and veg I buy is fresh and the meat is lean and high in protein, I snack on raw foods like nuts and berries as well as using natural sugar like honey and Agave nectar to sweeten plain food. If I have any questions I ask the Nutritionist who advises our clients for my business, she has a wealth of knowledge which is fun to tap into.

But going back to basics is not a new thing, which is why diets such as the cave man diet are so popular. However id rather look at it as adapting for a healthy sustainable lifestyle than a diet with restrictions.

I even apply this theory to my shopping sometimes, as I enjoy colour blocking, layering and drawn to simple cuts of clothing which are fun to accessorise. Sometimes the keep it simple option can be the most flattering if you can find the right cut for your figure and the pattern works accordingly.

Going back to basics is not about restricting yourself, it is about filtering down the wealth of information available to us and working from ground up to avoid the confusing state in which is we sometimes find ourself in. A great example of this I read recently was about a lady who worked in a creative industry like media and found herself frustrated by the constant pressure of trying to find that perfect outfit every morning for work. Her solution was simple! She bought 10 of the same blouse, cigarette trouser and blazer so that she could wear the same thing everyday. No hassle, No delays, No stress. Creating her own uniform worked for her, and it is easy to understand why, when sometimes all we need is to know where to start.

Life is but a Journey…

Life is but a journey… This may seem like a very obvious title along with, life is what you make of it etc etc. However when you have the chance to shape someones life and shape someones journey it holds a privilege and gratification to the meaning of the sentence.

I have spent the last 12 weeks alongside my business partner with this privilege, working with what i can only describe as the ideal client. committed to the program we laid out personally for him, taking onboard all the advice our specialists team has provided through our services. But what makes his journey particularly special is the personal transformation he made at the end of his time with us, shedding up-to 20% of his body fat.

http://www.fashionfitnessspecialists.com/

When our client first came to us looking for help and self-improvement, he suffered from many of the common hang-ups expected such as body issues, low confidence and self-esteem among others. But through a process of support and guidance offered each step of the way, his outlook on life changed and so did the negative barriers that once stood in his way. And it was not a magic pill that sheds a stone a week, cutting out half of your main food groups needed to survive or a hypnotherapist. It was a combination of a Nutritional advice, healthy food, working-out, and one to one support, because there was no short cut, just dedication and perseverance to the program. Since finishing… He has met someone special, launched his own business and signed up to the London Marathon this year.

For a stylist like myself, it does not get much better than knowing you have genuinely made someone feel a whole lot better about themselves.

Food Envy!

Eating out…Well its a tricky one, Do you A. Order whatever you want with no concept of calorie in-take and risk feeling bad the rest of the eve and undoing all your hard work? or B. Order a healthy alternative and spend the evening with food envy, whilst your partner or friend indulges in what you would really like to eat, if you weren’t so scared you would wake up 2 pounds heavier the next day. Ahhh the choices just seem too generous!

There are of-course little tricks of the trade, Such as swapping your chips for salad, your Coke for water and skipping the bread bowl at the start. It helps find a healthier balance to a meal and will save dramatically in calories if eating out is something which you participate in often.

I personally find it quiet challenging eating out for a number of reasons, Mainly because i don’t want to waste my money. It is easy to stick to the usual restaurants which you know will always satisfy your tummy, but occasionally its nice to break up the routine and try somewhere different. Personally i can not always afford to spend £150 on a meal at a really fancy restaurant unless it is for a special occasion, but i am happy to spend a reasonable amount for good food.

So if i am behaving, i find myself ordering a chicken caesar salad with no croutons and dressing on the side, the waitress usually giving me a funny look for being annoyingly fussy (no matter how nice i ask) and what i receive is a bowl of leaves with a slither of chicken buried somewhere beneath. I wonder for a moment why this salad is costing £14.50 and how the waitress will react if i ask for the other half of my meal. So i eat and say nothing usually.

Eating out can be challenging at the best of times when it comes to making the right decisions with food, but if you can find a happy medium, whether its swapping part of your meal for a healthier alternative or skipping the bread bowl, than it will help lead to a healthier lifestyle and one without just salad leaves.

Creatures of habit

The title of this post probably will give you idea of where this written piece is going, but i do not wish to be a blog that lectures, but instead somewhat helpful in viewing things differently. It is true for many of us that falling into a routine is necessary for the purposes of work and family, to sustain lifestyles to which we become accustomed to. That is not the issue, the issue begins when bad habits start creeping in without anyone being none the wiser to them.

I will be first to put my hands up and say i love sharing a tub of ice cream with my partner or a bar of chocolate (a big one obviously). However it is relatively common knowledge that when we become too comfortable within relationships it can be easy to gain weight. Food is a sociable aspect of our lifestyles in very much the same way drinking is. Combine that with the daily stress of life, lack of sleep, skipping breakfast, grabbing bad food on the go and turning in our trainers for slippers then suddenly we have become a creature of habit.

The answer maybe obvious, just STOP and change, but it is not always easy to see where you are going wrong to begin with. So where do you start? Sometimes it is better to focus on what would be positive to incorporate into your lifestyle instead of focussing on what needs cutting out constantly. For instance if the idea of running is unbearable, try a fitness class local in your area. Small changes, and you may find that other lifestyle hobbits will fall in line. But it is important to stay motivated in creating positive change.

Below you will find a short Video from one of our clients highlighting what he has learned from Fashion Fitness Specialists so far in his lifestyle change.